Canalmen look to keep trophy

WAREHAM – For Bourne, the 82nd Thanksgiving Day matchup with Wareham for the Superintendent's Trophy won't mark a final push in an undefeated Super Bowl-bound season like last year. But that doesn't matter for the longstanding rivals.

WAREHAM – For Bourne, the 82nd Thanksgiving Day matchup with Wareham for the Superintendent's Trophy won't mark a final push in an undefeated Super Bowl-bound season like last year. But that doesn't matter for the longstanding rivals.

The Canalmen (5-5, 4-3 South Coast Conference) have gritted out an injury-riddled season with several junior varsity players filling in and stepping up in recent weeks.

“They're very motivated and have had a good week at practice,” said Bourne head coach John McIntyre. “It's a very exciting game for the kids and for the town. I still think to some people in the town this is the biggest game of the year. You could be 0-10 and if you win this, it's a successful season in the eyes of a lot of people.”

The rivalry game shifts to Wareham (8-2, 6-1 SCC) this year with a 10 a.m. kickoff.

The Vikings lead the series 51-29-1, but Bourne has held the advantage in recent years. After losing five straight from 2005-09, the Canalmen posted back-to-back wins over Wareham, pummeling the Vikings for 42 points in 2010 and 2011.

Those losses are no doubt on the Vikings' minds, especially the 13 seniors.

Wareham's veteran team suffered just one SCC loss to Dighton-Rehoboth, 21-8, in Week 9. The Falcons then clinched the SCC title the following week, keeping Wareham out of the playoffs. Aside from bragging rights, there's another incentive for a win on Thursday.

“In the last 20 years, there have been five teams in Wareham that have won at least nine games,” said Vikings head coach Dan Nault, now in his 12th season with Wareham.

The Canalmen haven't fared as well. After winning three of their first five games, they have gone 2-3 since. Two of those three losses came in tough SCC matches in consecutive weeks against Dighton-Rehoboth and Fairhaven, which Bourne dropped by a combined four points.

The Canalmen's loss came to Rockland in early November a physical game in which Bourne lost several starters to injury.

But McIntyre was encouraged by Bourne's most recent 20-14 win over Bishop Stang.

“Even though Stang is having a down year, I thought that was one of the better wins we've ever had, even going back to last year's Super Bowl games,” McIntyre said. “I was so proud of the kids. A lot of kids stepped up, first-time varsity players on the field and I thought Jim Lanoie, our offensive coordinator, Terry Donovan, our defensive coordinator, David Harrison, who helps on both sides, did a fantastic job getting the kids ready.

“It was maybe their best coaching job I've seen them do and they've done a lot of good coaching in the last few years.”

With Bourne's top running backs Marquesse Rhodes and Chad Marsh out with injuries, senior Josh Curry and sophomore Luke Zanoli have played larger roles on offense. Marsh led Bourne with 17 touchdowns in seven games before getting injured against Rockland in early November.

Against Stang, Zanoli rushed for 175 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown while quarterback Zach Songer connected with Curry for two passing scores.

This week, the Canalmen face a stingy Wareham defense, which has surrendered an average of 10.4 points per game.

“Nine of the kids on defense are seniors so they do take a lot of pride in it,” Nault said. “I think over the course of the year, we've scored like four touchdowns a game, but I think the feeling in Wareham is that the defense is what's leading our team.”

Wareham's main scoring threat, senior running back Darien Fernandez, is fourth in Div. 3A with 18 rushing scores and on the verge of a school record. Fernandez needs three touchdowns to tie the Wareham career record of 34 and with four scores he can tie the Vikings' single-season mark of 22.

Hart Andrade set the record for both in 1998.

The Canalmen have not posted a losing record in McIntyre's three years as head coach and don't plan on it this season despite the obstacles they have faced.

“I think we've certainly had to change the way we coach a little bit, try to simplify things, and our kids have stepped up and that's all you can ask for,” McIntyre said. “Have the kids go out there, do the best they can, have fun.”